China has the largest capacity in the world in poultry meat production. 71% of all poultry meat consumed in China is chicken. With concepts of food safety, health, nutrition, and hygiene are better understood and accepted by the public, the level of chicken consumption will remain high for years to come.
Chickens raised in chicken farms usually live in relatively tight quarters, so a single sick chicken can infect the flock. To keep chickens healthy, antibiotics are often provided to the chickens orally or by injection. For example, antibiotics are often added in chicken feeds. However, long term use of antibiotics in chickens can inhibit growth of the poultry. Further, there has been increasing concerns of drug-resistant microorganisms that can develop in chickens with prevalent use of antibiotics. Such drug-resistant microorganisms may be transmitted to humans when the chickens are consumed.